Boys rout Southold 11-4

On Monday, April 21, a nice crowd filled the bleachers at Fiske Field to watch the Shelter Island Boys JV team defeat Southold 11-4. A majority of the fans were Shelter Island students cheering on their classmates, and it was good to see the students supporting the sports teams that work hard and represent the school and community.

Starting pitcher Peter Kropf pitched three strong innings, keeping the Southold batters guessing and off balance at the plate, but in the top of the first Southold did get a run.

Will Garrison tracked down two fly balls in left field for two of the outs.

Shelter Island’s offense started with a bang in the bottom of the inning, with Johnny Sturges taking first on a wild pitch that hit him. Then Matt BeltCappellino and Spencer Gibbs went back to back with triples to give the Island boys a 2-1 lead.

In the second inning Southold came back to tie the game at 2-2. But in the bottom of the inning a patient Charlie Binder drew a walk, Garrison walked and Kropf hit a single, earning an RBI. Sturges picked up his second walk and BeltCappellino singled in two more for a 5-2 Shelter Island lead.

In the top of the third, the Blue and Gray completed a double play with an infield catch, and a runner at first was picked off to stop a Southold rally. The scoring continued in the bottom of the third when Binder hit a shot up the middle for a single, Garrison doubled and Kropf singled to pad the Island’s lead. During the rally Shelter Island also successfully completed a double steal.

In the top of the fourth Gibbs relieved Kropf and struck out two batters. Shelter Island’s solid pitching for the rest of the game prevented Southold from putting together a big rally.

Shelter Island’s hitting continued to have success during the bottom of the fifth as three singles by Kropf, Sturges and BeltCappellino produced runs, for a 7-4 lead. Gibbs again had a good inning in the top of the 6th with two strikeouts, giving him 5 Ks for the game.

But the hot bats weren’t cooled off yet. In the bottom of the sixth Adrian Sulahian singled in an insurance run to make the score 8-4. Henry Lang singled through the second base hole, followed by a single by Kropf. Sturges put the game away by showing his power, hitting a double with bases loaded for three RBIs

Defensively BeltCappellino and Gibbs made sparkling plays at first base with nice scoops on short throws, a tough catch with a fly ball in foul territory and tagging out two runners.

Shelter Island’s record is now 4-0. The series with Southold continues with an away game on Thursday, April 24 and a home game the following afternoon.